Minor Fictional Characters in the American Empire Trilogy

This article lists the various minor fictional characters who appear in the American Empire trilogy, a sub-series of the Southern Victory series. These characters are identified, but play at best a peripheral role in the series. Most were simply mentioned or had a very brief, unimportant role that did not impact the plot, and never appeared again.

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Albert Bauer was a particularly radical member of the Socialist Party organization in Toledo, Ohio.[1] He worked with Chester Martin on Upton Sinclair'spresidential campaign in 1920.[2] Martin had the impression that Bauer was a thoroughly practical man who might appreciate a bar of shaving soap as a Christmas gift more than anything else.[3] He expressed some skepticism of the increased speculation in the stock market in the early 1920s.[4]

Briggs led a group of Freedom Party men (Jefferson Pinkard among them) to protest a speech by PresidentWade Hampton V, and witnessed the president's assassination by Grady Calkins. Upon a threat from the Alabama militia that they would be massacred, Briggs ordered the Freedom men to retreat.[8] He did his best to keep the Freedom Party moving forward in the bleak period after the assassination.[9]

Abraham Cantorowicz was a Democratic politician who ran against incumbent Socialist Congresswoman Flora Blackford in New York City'sLower East Side in 1926. While not a token candidate, Cantorowicz had little hope of defeating the massively popular Blackford in her home district, and conceded after falling 3000 votes out of 16,000 behind Blackford on Election Night. During his concession call to Blackford's headquarters, he promised that one day Democratic efforts to win the district would bear fruit. He also questioned Flora on whether she planned to run for re-election if her husband, Vice PresidentHosea Blackford, became his party's Presidential candidate in 1928.[10]

This character is named for a science fiction fan, Christi Clogston, who won a "Tuckerization" auction at the 2001 Millenium PhilCon (WorldCon). The auction benefited SFWA's (Science Fiction Writer's Association) Emergency Medical Fund, for writers without medical insurance. The details about the character being a quilt vendor and her heritage come from the fan's personal information, though the real life Chris Clogston is a quilter, she is not a quilt vendor.

Sheldon Fleischmann was Max Fleischmann's son. He took over his father's butcher's shop after Max died. Like Max, Sheldon was a Democrat. But he continued his father's tradition of sending cold cuts up to Socialist Party headquarters on Election Day night.[19]

He met Anne Colleton when she was sent to France by Confederate PresidentJake Featherston to act as an unofficial ambassador in 1934. He traveled to the C.S. when she returned home in July 1936, where Anne introduced Jusserand to Featherston.[24] At the time, Jusserand wanted some assurance that the C.S. could be counted on to engage the U.S. should France find itself at war with Germany. At the time, Featherston candidly admitted that the C.S. was in no position to do so.[25]

However, by early 1941, KaiserWilhelm II was on his deathbed, and with war in Europe seemingly certain, Colleton met with Jusserand and unofficially informed him that the C.S. would support France in the event of war, which Jusserand relayed to his government.[26]

Virgil Joyner (d. 1939) was a member of the Freedom Party; he was one of the first people to join, registering around the same time as Jake Featherston and Ferdinand Koenig.[27] As he was a staunch Freedom man, he was given the privilege and the duty of being Featherston's personal driver; he also had the privilege enjoyed by few others to address the Freedom Party ruler as the "Sarge."[28]

Layne was earnest in his desire to reconcile with both the United States and with the colored residents of the C.S., unpopular positions immediately after the Great War.[32] During the campaign, Featherston made much of the fact that Layne was Harvard-educated, and during one speech, accused Layne of wanting to take the C.S. back into the United States.[33]

Ernie London was the first treasurer of the Freedom Party. In August, 1918, London, at the behest of party chairman Anthony Dresser, moved to remove Jake Featherston as head of propaganda for the Freedom Party. Party vice chairman Bert McWilliams seconded the motion. The motion was set for a floor vote, and Dresser, McWilliams, and London gave speeches outlining their reasons for wanting Featherston out. Instead, Featherston outlined his understanding of propaganda and his value as a propagandist, turning the party to his side. Party secretary Ferdinand Koenig moved that Dresser step down and that Featherston replace him as chairman of the party, and Featherston won the subsequent vote.[36]

Maximiliano was a dog owned by Hipolito Rodriguez at his farm near Baroyeca in the Confederate State of Sonora in the 1930s. The dog was ugly, vicious and stupid, just like the MexicanEmperorMaximilian III, hence the name. Rodriguez sardonically thought to himself that had he named the dog that on the other side of the border, within Imperial domains, he would have been executed for sedition.

Bert McWilliams was the first vice chairman of the Freedom Party. In August 1918, McWilliams, at the behest of party chairman Anthony Dresser, moved to remove Jake Featherston as head of propaganda for the Freedom Party. Party treasurer Ernie London seconded the motion. The motion was set for a floor vote, and Dresser, McWilliams, and London gave speeches outlining their reasons for wanting Featherston out. Instead, Featherston outlined his understanding of propaganda and his value as a propagandist, turning the party to his side. Party secretary Ferdinand Koenig moved that Dresser step down and that Featherston replace him as chairman of the party, and Featherston won the subsequent vote.[39]

John Oglethorpe (b. ca 1860) owned and operated a dinner in Augusta, Georgia, for many years. He worked as the cook while employing several blacks as waiters.

Shortly after the Great War, Oglethorpe hired Scipio (who was using the name "Xerxes") as a waiter after Oglethorpe's long-time employee, Aurelius, confirmed he knew the job by observing him during a trial period. Unfortunately, Oglethorpe had to let Scipio go in 1919 after rising unemployment had an adverse effect on his business, and Oglethorpe could no longer afford two waiters.[40]

In 1933, a desperate Scipio sought out Oglethorpe (whom Scipio still held in high regard) for possible employment. Unfortunately, Oglethorpe had nothing.[41]

Nephi Pratt represented Utah in the United States House of Representatives during the brief period (1937-1941) between the once-rebellious state's readmission to the Union and the start of yet another rebellion. He was once ejected from the floor of the House of Representatives by Speaker Clarence Cannon for arguing with Congressman Barry Goldwater of New Mexico out of order. Pratt left the room with dignity. Goldwater, in contrast, scuffled with the men who removed him, even landing a good blow on one.

Oliver Roland was the first captain of the USS Remembrance. In 1920, he hosted the Lord Mayor of Dublin and an Irish Admiral aboard the Remembrance to officially commemorate the independence of the Republic of Ireland. Almost immediately after, Roland led the ship against a British-backed uprising in Belfast.

Enid Sinclair was the wife of US PresidentUpton Sinclair. She served as the First Lady of the United States from 1921 through 1929. She was a vivacious red-head. Flora Hamburger met Enid at Sinclair's inauguration in 1921. The First Lady wore an off-shoulder green velvet gown that Hamburger was convinced would cause multiple heart attacks in her own congressional district.[52]

For those who are curious, the correct pronunciation is something like "Shchair-be-OCK-o-vich," although the Polish sounds represented by consonant clusters often have no equivalents in English, so phonetic sticklers have to settle for approximations.

Sarah Wyckoff was a widow from Boston, Massachusetts. She was a co-worker of Sylvia Enos in a galoshes factory in the 1910s and 20s.[59] She shared Sylvia's contempt for Frank Best. She admitted at one point to wishing she could put a certain part of Best's anatomy in a size-two shoe-mold.[60]